Secondhand smoke is what smokers exhale and what rises from an idle burning cigarette. You can see smoke in the air but what may not be so obvious is that there are 4,000 chemicals in the smoke.
More than 50 of these chemicals are carcinogens: they cause cancer. The chemicals also contribute directly to other diseases, such as asthma, heart disease, and emphysema. And that's for smokers and nonsmokers alike.
Nonsmoking Bylaws
One of the main arguments put forth by groups and individuals opposed to smoke-free legislation is that businesses, especially bars and restaurants, will lose money following the implementation of a nonsmoking bylaw. However, study after study using official sales tax data shows that smoke-free legislation has no long-term negative impact on restaurant, bar, hotel, and tourism receipts.